Head of Occupational Therapy

University-Hospitals-of-North-Midlands-Nhs-Trust; Stoke-on-Trent; On-site; GBP 67,000 - 77,000; Full time

Job summary

University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust is seeking a Head of Occupational Therapy (Band 8b) to provide strategic and professional leadership across inpatient and outpatient services at Royal Stoke and County Hospital. You will drive clinical governance and service development within the Therapies Directorate.

In this senior role you will lead a multidisciplinary team, mentor staff, oversee safety and quality improvements, and contribute to the wider Allied Health Professional strategy

Qualifications

• Degree in Occupational Therapy and HCPC registration.
• Evidence of Masters level study or equivalent senior leadership experience.
• Significant post-registration experience including senior leadership within acute hospital services.
• Quality Improvement qualification or extensive experience delivering quality improvement programmes.
• Management/leadership qualification or equivalent experience leading large multidisciplinary services.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Department on professional and clinical governance issues and be a source of professional expertise in the field of occupational therapy for the Trust.
• Provide support and clinical supervision to occupational therapists, physiotherapists and therapy technicians, apprentice occupational therapists and students working within Therapies.
• Assist the development of others within the department to encourage competent and confident provision of inpatient and outpatient occupational therapy services through in-house training and competency assessment.
• Undertake the role according to the professional code of conduct, national and local guidelines and ensure HCPC codes are followed.
• Lead the development, implementation and audit of occupational therapy protocols and pathways.
• Act as a clinical lead, providing highly specialist advice for occupational therapists locally, regionally and nationally.
• Produce and implement policies, evidence-based protocols and guidelines on behalf of UHNM to optimise service provision.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Staff development

Communication

Education

Degree in Occupational Therapy

HCPC registration

Masters level study

Leadership qualification

Quality Improvement qualification

Job description

Employer University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust Employer type NHS Site Royal Stoke Town Stoke-on-Trent Salary £66,582 - £77,368 per annum Salary period Yearly Closing 12/11/2026 23:59

Head of Occupational Therapy

Band 8b

Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen as the Head of Occupational Therapy at UHNM. The Allied Health Professionals have undergone a full restructure supporting a leadership framework which you will be part of the implementation. You will be responsible for the clinical leadership and overall operational performance for the service providing professional leadership to all dieticians. This role is pivotal in delivering the Occupational Therapy vision here at UHNM as well as partaking in the wider strategic direction for our Allied Health Professional workforce.

Main duties of the job

The successful candidate will lead the Department on professional and clinical governance issues and be a source of professional expertise in the field of occupational therapy for the Trust.

Responsible for providing support and clinical supervision to occupational therapist, physiotherapists and therapy technicians, apprentice occupational therapists and students working within Therapies. Assist the development of others within the department to encourage competent and confident provision of inpatient and outpatient occupational therapy services through in-house training and competency assessment.

Working for our organisation

University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust is one of the largest and most modern in the country. Based across two sites, Royal Stoke in Stoke-on-Trent and County Hospital in Stafford, we are proud to serve around three million people and we're highly regarded for our facilities, teaching and research. We are the specialist centre for major trauma for the North Midlands and North Wales.

All of our employees make a valuable contribution regardless of role here at UHNM and we are proud of our wide range of development packages aimed at ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to fulfil their true potential.

UHNM create and encourage a culture of inclusion, providing equal opportunities for career development that are fair and transparent. We are committed to being a diverse and inclusive employer and foster a culture in which all staff feel valued and respected. In return we ask all of our employees to make a commitment to the values, co-created by or staff, patients and carers, and that unite us as a Trust.

At University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust we know that investing in, supporting and developing our staff has a direct impact on the quality of care that we deliver. Our employees are as important as our patients and the population that we serve.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Undertake the role according to the professional code of conduct, national and local guidelines and ensure all dietetic staff employees at UHNM follow HCPC codes for dietitians.

Identify areas of risk and work to reduce risk, escalating as appropriate.

Leading a comprehensive and high-quality dietetic service for both inpatients and outpatients, working to agreed standards, policies and procedures.

To lead the development, implementation and audit of occupational therapy protocols and pathways.

Act as a clinical lead, providing highly specialist advice for occupational therapist locally, regionally and nationally.

Produce and implement policies, evidence-based protocols and guidelines on behalf of UHNM. To provide specialist advice and participate in service development including pathways of care and clinical policies to optimise service provision.

Person specification

Qualifications

• Degree in Occupational Therapy and HCPC registration
• Evidence of Masters level study or equivalent senior leadership experience
• Significant post-registration experience including senior leadership within acute hospital services
• Quality Improvement qualification or extensive experience delivering quality improvement programmes
• Management/leadership qualification or equivalent experience leading large multidisciplinary services

Knowledge

• Extensive experience leading Occupational Therapy services within an acute teaching hospital and/or Major Trauma Centre
• Strategic leadership experience including workforce planning, operational management, recruitment, performance management and professional leadership
• Experience managing budgets, establishments and capital/equipment planning

Personal Qualities

• Strategic thinker with the ability to balance operational pressures and long-term service development
• Strong commitment to professional leadership, staff wellbeing and workforce development

Important information about your application

• References - please ensure you provide email addresses for all referees for all last three years of employment.
• We are committed to equality of opportunity and welcome applications from everyone regardless of ethnicity, disability, gender, age, faith or sexual orientation. Appointment will be based on merit alone.
• Flexible working will be considered in line with Trust policies
• New recruits are required to pay for their Disclosure and Barring Service check (and admin fee) prior to starting if the role requires a DBS check.

University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust (UHNM) has been awarded the Gold Award for proudly supporting those who serve. We actively encourage applications from the Armed Forces community.

UHNM supports the responsible use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to assist in preparing your supporting statement. However, we reserve the right to reject applications where AI has been used in a misleading manner, for example, by implying experience or understanding that the applicant does not possess or where its use is excessive or unfair. If AI has been used to support your application, you must declare this within your submission.

Visa eligibility notice:
The UK Home Office has imposed an emergency brake on specific visa routes.

• Skilled Worker visas cannot currently be issued to Afghan nationals.
• Study visas cannot currently be issued to nationals of Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar or Sudan.
  As a result, we are unable to progress applications requiring sponsorship under these routes.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.